Restaurant expenses — Food and beverage costs and restaurant expenses
Darden Restaurants Restaurant expenses — Food and beverage costs and restaurant expenses increased by 4.0% to $528.70M in Q4 2025 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 5.5%, from $501.00M to $528.70M. Over 4 years (FY 2021 to FY 2025), Restaurant expenses — Food and beverage costs and restaurant expenses shows an upward trend with a 9.7% CAGR. This increase may warrant attention — for this metric, lower values are generally preferred.
Analysis
How to read this metric
An increase relative to revenue suggests margin compression due to rising commodity prices or operational inefficiencies, while a decrease indicates improved cost management or favorable food cost trends.
Detailed definition
This metric represents the aggregate direct costs associated with operating restaurant locations, primarily encompassing...
Peer comparison
Peers in the full-service restaurant industry typically report this as 'Cost of Goods Sold' or 'Restaurant-Level Operating Expenses,' with benchmarks often tied to a percentage of total restaurant sales.
dri_segment_restaurant_expenses_food_and_beverage_costs_and_restaurant_expensesHistorical Data
| Q1 '21 | Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $386.00M | $378.10M | $385.00M | $395.70M | $423.80M | $403.50M | $417.00M | $440.30M | $415.50M | $446.60M | $450.40M | $471.90M | $443.40M | $453.70M | $472.20M | $501.00M | $517.10M | $504.20M | $508.30M | $528.70M |
| QoQ Change | — | -2.0% | +1.8% | +2.8% | +7.1% | -4.8% | +3.3% | +5.6% | -5.6% | +7.5% | +0.9% | +4.8% | -6.0% | +2.3% | +4.1% | +6.1% | +3.2% | -2.5% | +0.8% | +4.0% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +9.8% | +6.7% | +8.3% | +11.3% | -2.0% | +10.7% | +8.0% | +7.2% | +6.7% | +1.6% | +4.8% | +6.2% | +16.6% | +11.1% | +7.6% | +5.5% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Darden Restaurants's restaurant expenses — food and beverage costs and restaurant expenses?
- Darden Restaurants (DRI) reported restaurant expenses — food and beverage costs and restaurant expenses of $528.70M in Q4 2025.
- How has Darden Restaurants's restaurant expenses — food and beverage costs and restaurant expenses changed year-over-year?
- Darden Restaurants's restaurant expenses — food and beverage costs and restaurant expenses increased by 5.5% year-over-year, from $501.00M to $528.70M.
- What is the long-term trend for Darden Restaurants's restaurant expenses — food and beverage costs and restaurant expenses?
- Over 4 years (2021 to 2025), Darden Restaurants's restaurant expenses — food and beverage costs and restaurant expenses has grown at a 9.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $1.34B to $1.94B.
- What does restaurant expenses — food and beverage costs and restaurant expenses mean?
- The total direct costs incurred to purchase food and beverages and manage daily operations at the restaurant level.